Realignment rumblings: Kansas sets up call with Big Ten Conference

The news of Texas and Oklahoma making accelerated plans to join the SEC this week rocked the college sports world and has left the Big 12 in shambles. This has brought realignment talks back to the forefront of college athletes and was even a talking point at Big Ten Media Days in Indianapolis this week.

Commissioner Kevin Warren played coy about the possibility of adding teams to the conference but said that decisions moving forward would be in the best interest of the Big Ten. A day after those comments were made, we have our first school potentially interested in joining.

According to “KU Scoopsmeister” and former Bleacher Report/San Francisco Chronicle contributor Mike Vernon, the University of Kansas has set up a call with the Big Ten to discuss potential membership.

Kansas could bring a lot to the table from a basketball standpoint, but we’re on a speeding train to a Power-4 superconferences deal for football. KU brings even less than Rutgers does to the table from that standpoint.

Texas and Oklahoma have their bags packed for the SEC and this looks like it’s going to be a thing that happens. This should kick off an arms race around the country as the Pac-12, Big 12, ACC and Big Ten look to secure their futures.

Schools like Kansas and Iowa State are going to be popular given their geographical location and footprint relative to Big Ten country. Notre Dame already has one foot in the door with the ACC, so that still feels unlikely. There is a lot to sort out and a lot of decisions and pitches to be made, so it is tough to even speculate on what the future might be.

One thing is for sure, though.

It’s on. Begun, the realignment wars have.